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The planning and kitchen design stage are very important for homeowners thinking of redesigning or putting up a new kitchen.You can also look for food service equipment in Saudi Arabia. It also goes without saying that a good kitchen design works on a budget. So in that case, you will have to think through the process and find the right resources. If you have the right know-how, you can achieve that luxury kitchen you have always wanted. Here is a look at how you can design your kitchen on a budget.

Ideas Brainstorm

Before you decide to contact your contractor, you should first look around. What do you like in your current kitchen? What don’t you also like about it and can you look at other kitchens and see what they have to offer? If you have time, you can visit different showrooms, flick through magazines, research online or visit other peoples’ homes. You can only have an affordable kitchen design if you gather as much information as possible. Have a long list of ideas.

It is advisable that homeowners start a spreadsheet or scrapbook and start a budget too. They should also not be afraid of challenging their ideas and expectations. After all, the kitchen is vital part of the house and it is important that you use your money wisely.

Design The Detail

It is of great advantage that we live in a world where modern design technology has come a long was. When you pay a visit to show rooms, you can utilize 3D modelling and virtual tours. A kitchen designer who understands your needs can be the best person to carry out the design element of it. If you have the dream kitchen design, you can have a team of designers come to fit it and within your budget. As long as you have the design right, you will always have the kitchen you have always wanted and within your budget.

Layout Ideas

Practicality should be the driving force when in the design stage. The most common idea most designers and home owners talk about is the triangle. This means the three main things that you use, and they should always be nearby. The sink, cooker and the fridge should be in this triangle. You should also consider the number of plug sockets you will need and where they will be placed. A good kitchen is one that is easy to navigate and when the setup is good, you will have an easy time getting around. Having the layout ideas beforehand will help homeowners reduce unwanted surprises that may force the designer to redo everything and cost you more.

Accessorize

One mistake most homeowners make is forgetting to prioritize accessories. You can either choose to have a great artwork or prints on the wall. Funky utensils to place in and around the kitchen may also be a great idea.But whichever accessory you choose, keep in mind that they have an impact on the overall look and feel of your kitchen. You can make your kitchen feel soft or dramatic by simply using shapes or colors. But it will all depend on the look you are after.

The type of lighting you choose will also have an impact on both your budget and the appearance of the kitchen. There are so many different bulbs, lights and so on. But when it comes to lighting, it is advisable that you consider the natural lights your kitchen area has. If your area is very dark or gets a lot of sunlight, then you can adjust your lighting according to your set budget.

Change It Up

Since you are having a kitchen design on a budget, you shouldn’t be afraid to change things up if you have to. For instance, if you are very tall, why not do away with the standard bench height? If you are looking for a very unique style or a particular appliance, then you should discuss with your team of designers on how you can make it work.

The design is for the luxury kitchen of the homeowner and not the designer. So as long as it works for the homeowner, they should go for it. However, as the experts help you achieve your dream kitchen, you should also be open for suggestions. Since they have been in the field for long, they might give cost effective ideas that will help you work within your budget.

East or west, the kitchen is the hub of the house. It is no wonder that this important space attracts so much attention. Ironically, it is an uphill task to construct this space with perfect precision, devoid of unsightly blotches. The following are some of the most common kitchen design mistakes, and the suggested solutions to avoid such drawbacks.

Inadequate Storage Space:

Kitchen storage space is of paramount importance, yet one of the main design mistakes is not providing adequate storage room. The “Island” model kitchen counter is ideal for the following features:

Offering adequate storage

Affording vast counter space

Such space will be attained when the Island is positioned in such a way, that it doesn’t obstruct foot traffic to and from your primary workstation, refrigerator, and stove.

Poor Ventilation:

Poor kitchen design will facilitate withholding of stale and dirty air, which brings about the undesirable phenomenon of a smelly home. Providing a fine ventilation system when designing your kitchen, will help enhance quality indoor air. Moreover, proper ventilation will keep the kitchen clean by giving vent to foul air, and flying grease particles. These elements would have made their way to your electrical appliances, countertops, or percolate to other parts of the house. Indeed, adequate ventilation help elongates the lifespan of your appliances.

Altering the Original Plan:

Changing the kitchen design in the course of construction can be a very expensive affair. At the same time, such ad hoc changes can result to some embarrassing, unpredictable, and very exasperating blunders. You will never go wrong when you engage a contractor, with vast experience in kitchen design and stick to the original design plan.

Bad Kitchen Layout:

Woe to you if your kitchen design obstructs the Kitchen Triangle. A typical Kitchen Triangle consists of the following:

Sink

Stove

Refrigerator

A kitchen design with awkward door swings, tight walkways, and islands that obstruct access to the kitchen triangle, makes the kitchen space wasteful, and very inconvenient.

Poor Lighting:

A kitchen design with inadequate task lighting is a major let down. Care should be taken to provide adequate task lighting, especially to the sink, stove and preparation areas. Positioning for these fixtures ought to be earmarked beforehand, before the commencement of work. This is mainly because such installations require electrical connection services. A good kitchen design, therefore, will be keen to ensure sufficient lighting is available whenever it is needed. Good kitchen design provides ample task lighting, at the same time ensuring that there is no wastage whatsoever, therefore saving money on your power bill. Such energy-saving functions are attained by the usage of energy-saving fluorescent bulbs, as opposed to bright ones.

Super Trendy Designs:

Being extravagant with your kitchen design can backfire on you. Such an eventuality happens especially when you need to dispose of, or sell the property. Akin to the fashion industry, stylish kitchen designs have a very short lifespan. Moreover, situations may change, or you may relocate where the new occupier or owner may not be impressed by your kitchen design taste.

Vacationing at the Beginning and End of the Project:

One of the worst mistakes you can ever make when designing your kitchen is to take a vacation at the onset, and finishing stage of the project. More often than not, it is during such times that critical decisions need to be made. Deferring decisions about major utilities and fixtures, or delegating to the contractor won’t help either. You will have no one to blame if the outcome of your kitchen design is appalling.

Overlooking Professional Advice:

Folks, designing a kitchen is not a core business for many of you. Therefore, if you attempted to develop one, the project will be awash with blunders and mistakes, born out of inexperience and lack of knowledge. The solution lies in soliciting professional help. Professionals have in-depth knowledge of techniques, required materials, and the necessary tools needed to maximize your kitchen space. At the end of the day, consulting a kitchen design expert will help you save time, energy, and money.

Bottom Line :

Designing a kitchen is not a walk in the park. To get the kitchen design that meets your heart’s desire, at the same time appealing to the market requirements, you will need to do your homework thoroughly. Always remember that this is your kitchen. When all is said and done, you will be the one living with the outcome, whether good or bad. Now that you know what design mistakes to avoid, you are better off in making the crucial decision, as to what kind of investment you will put your money in.

Trends are personal preferences. They come and go. When a new trend emerges, many people tend to embrace it. However, with time it gets outdated and people find it no longer useful. That is why it is important to go for kitchen design trends that will stand the test of time. The best kitchen design trends should save space, look attractive, accommodate many kitchen facilities and more. The good thing is that there are many design trends and therefore you have many options to choose from. Just to ensure that you do not make a mistake, we are going to provide you with kitchen design trends to avoid. This will guarantee you kitchen design that will remain relevant for a long period of time. It will also increase chances of getting quick buyers in case you decide to sell your house. Take a look.

1. Large Counter Space
It is good to have counters in your kitchen. But do not leave big space for it. It should just be minimal. Any kitchen with large counter space will limit the functionality of your kitchen. There will be less space for placing grocery, cutting or chopping food,cooking and more. You definitely don’t want a kitchen that will make your cooking experience boring and inconvinient. This design trend should therefore be avoided. It may discourage home buyers however good your kitchen may be.

2. Placing Useful Facilities Far Apart
Kitchen should be designed in such a way that useful facilities used on frequent basis are closely placed. Such facilities include cooker, fridge, sink and stove. This will make your work in the kitchen easy, convenient and enjoyable. It will prevent you from the hassle of moving up and down when you want to use fridge, sink , stove and more. You will be busy at one central point. Any kitchen design trend that places essential facilities far from each other should be avoided.

3. Skimping Storage
The more you continue to stay in the house, the more items you will add to your kitchen. That is why you should avoid any design trend that does not take storage into consideration. Storage should be sufficient so that you will not waste time and resources creating more space for new items bought. This also explains why people are no longer using faux cabinet fonts. They consume much space that would be used for storage purposes.

4. Poor Lighting
The best kitchen design trend should take lighting into consideration. Any design with poor lighting should be avoided. Lighting is important because to sets the mood so that you can enjoy all kitchen activities. It also enhances visibility in the kitchen so that you can do your cooking while seeing clearly at night. It also makes the kitchen look attractive.

5. Ignoring architecture
It is always advisable to consult an architect on which design trend to use before applying it in your kitchen. It should complement with the rest of the house. Any kitchen design trend that is not in harmony with the rest of the house should be avoided. Such a kitchen will be less attractive and therefore home buyers may be less interested in it.

6. Farmhouse Sinks
Gone are the days when kitchen was designed with farmhouse sinks. Not only are they old fashioned but also look less attractive. In addition, they have limited functionality when compared to modern sink designs.

7. Poor Color Design
Color is very important when designing your kitchen. It can attract somebody or be a put off. It is advisable to use bright colors that complement your kitchen decor. Good choice of color will make your kitchen stand out. Home buyers will be very much interested to buy should you decide to sell it.Consult with your architect to advise on the best color that matches your kitchen.

8. Poor Socket Location
When doing wiring, make sure that sockets are placed in appropriate locations. Your fridge, microwave, electric coil, electric kettle and more will need to be connected to electricity. Therefore, sockets should be placed in areas that are easily accessible. This will make your cooking easy and convenient. Any kitchen design trend that does not take this into consideration should be ditched.

In conclusion, if you want to have a kitchen that will stand the test of time, avoid the above design trends. They are irrelevant, outdated and less attractive. They can discourage a potential home buyer from buying your house.

Every person dreams of having a well designed kitchen. But few think about how they can design their kitchen layout so that it looks outstanding. The best kitchen design layout should help to direct traffic, offer enough storage space, attractive and provide ample space for preparing meals. You should know where to position work triangle so that cooking becomes easy and convinient. There are different types of kitchen layout designs. Choice depends on individual prefences. It is advisable to choose design layout that will meet your kitchen needs. This ranges from cooking to storage of kitchen facilities like cabinet/appliances. In order to guide you on how to design your kitchen layout, we are going to present you with some of the best kitchen design layouts so that you can make your selection.Gallery
This kind of layout is a good choice if you have small space or cooking in your kitchen is done at one central spot. It is also referred to as walk through kitchen. It features two walls on the opposite side. It may also involve 2 countertops that are parallel to each other. There is a walk-through way in between them. The most impressive thing about gallery kitchen design layout is that it consumes kitchen space to the maximum. It also leaves ample space for your movement while in the kitchen. You will also not worry about corner cabinets that are usually difficult to configure.One Wall
This type of kitchen layout design is mostly used in studio. This is because is consumes less space. It is the best fit for you if you want to save space. Appliances as well as cabinets are usually fixed on one wall. Modern designs have made some improvement on this layout by including an island thereby increasing room for storage. The design is still loved by many people.
Peninsula
This exceptional kitchen layout design converts L-shaped layout to horseshoe. It can also be used to change U-shaped kitchen layout to achieve a G-shape design. This is why it is sometimes referred to as connected island. Its functionality is the same as that of islands. The only difference is that peninsula does not provide enough space that characterises true island layout.L-Shape
This excellent design is ideal for medium and small sized kitchens. If you want to maximize corner space, this is the design layout to go for. It involves countertops on 2 adjacent walls that are perpendicular to each other, forming L-shape. If you want to save on space, try to limit the ‘leg’ of L shape to about 12 feet. This layout is preferred by many people because it prevents the problem of traffic in the kitchen. In addition, it allows you to add dining space. Servants can take their food from here. Furthermore, more work space can be created to allow chef do lots of activities in the kitchen without worrying about space. However, this design layout out should not be used in a large kitchen where you will want to create an island or if more than two chefs will be cooking.U-Shape
It is also called Horseshoe design. It is characterized by 3 cabinet and appliance walls. It includes an island kitchen which makes it assume U-shape. This amazing layout is preferred by many people because it allows fast and easy flow of traffic. This helps to prevent unnecessary congestion in the kitchen especially around the island. It also enhances the flow of work. This enables chef to have easy time while preparing food in the kitchen. Furthermore, it can accommodate more than one cook at ago. This makes it the best fit for you if you have many cooks.
Island

Bottom Line
This design is mainly used in kitchens with enough space. It involves cabinets for storage purposes positioned at the right places. It helps to increase working space in the kitchen. Furthermore, it provides space for taking meals, storing drinks and more. The layout is very versatile. It can be used to change one wall kitchen layout to gallery and L-shaped layout design to U-shape.

In conclusion, if you have been wondering how to design your kitchen, you now have the answer. Choose your preferred layout and apply. Every layout design has its advantages and specific requirements in terms of space. Take this into consideration when making selection.

Keeping your kitchen clean and organized can be quite the stressful task. This is because the kitchen is prone to being in a mess most especially while cooking or any time you fetch something from there and fast. Cleaning it thoroughly will only help maintain the kitchen that one time you do the deep clean. However this is not guaranteed to last long due to unavoidable daily circumstances of periods in the kitchen.

The kitchen bound to get dirty and messy fast and often, it is therefore wise to be on your toes and ensure that it is clean 24/7. Although this will involve cleaning often, doesn’t mean you turn the kitchen upside down on daily basis to make it sparkle and for long hours. All that can be overwhelming and tiresome at some point. However, with a few dedicated minutes to clearing off any mess created and ensuring that everything sits back where it should, will do the tricks for you.

Keep the sink in check

The sink should be your number one priority. It carries the most of the kitchen clutter (cups, plates, pans, glasses, cutlery, pots etc.) which can unknowingly dispatch dirt across the kitchen easily. Dishes which have accumulated on the sink should be the first to get rid of before stepping over to the next chore. Whether you need to cook or just clean the kitchen, the sink needs to be cleared and cleaned first to ensure you don’t tire yourself going back over and over again. To maintain the kitchen’s sink at a top-level cleanliness, ensure you sanitize it daily and wipe off using a disinfectant/water and bleach.

Label your containers

Using masking tape and a permanent marker, label your containers. This will help you store them in the appropriate areas i.e. in the fridge or in the cabinets. It also eases your work since you’ll not spend time looking inside each container to know its contents when preparing lunch or dinner. In addition to that, you’ll save some seconds on the clock.

Clean the counter top

This being your working space while in the kitchen, one way or another, it will definitely endure spills of floor, vegetables, oily substances and the list goes on. Since it holds delicate food stuff that will end up in our tummies, it needs to be well taken care of and all the time. While cooking, improvise a garbage using a bowl where you can damp unwanted materials. This will enable you to minimize both the mess you’ll create on the countertop as well as spilling over to the floors. After cleaning, ensure you neatly arrange your countertop to give it that beautiful appealing look.

Don’t forget the Floors

The floors will suffer the same fate as the countertop surface due to spills of ingredients, food particles and litter. To make matters worse, the floors are the most neglected part of the kitchen. After cooking or cleaning, most people will forget to sweep up or wipe down the floors so as to get rid of any spillages. This is not only detrimental to your kitchen hygiene but also to the rest of the house since you can easily spread the spills to the rest of the rooms unintentionally.

The refrigerator

It is mandatory to clean the refrigerator and keep it organized at all times. Start with the inside and clean out anything that is spoilt or unwanted and remove litter left inside from already non-existent foods. This will help you not only keep the fridge clean but also make a complete clear grocery list of things needed. Once done, put back wanted substances in the fridge and cover them nicely to prevent them from going bad. Wipe the outside with a clean cloth and voila! It’s done.

Take care of the garbage

To ensure that garbage is well thrown away, ensure that you have a garbage can or paper where you can safely dispose it. In case of accidents where the litter falls on the floors, collect and put it in the garbage can/paper.

Cleaning your kitchen can be easily managed, however, maintaining the cleanliness can prove difficult. For every part of your kitchen, ensure you have the necessary tools and keep them in an easily accessible area. To uphold the kitchen tidiness and cleanliness, you don’t need to wait till the kitchen is messy and disgusting. Clean through as you progress from one corner of the kitchen to the other and create happiness in the kitchen by simply keeping it clean always.

Have you ever asked yourself why most kitchen staff in hotels wears white clothing? Well one of the main reasons is to depict the level of cleanliness in their kitchens. High levels of hygiene should be maintained in the kitchen at all times to keep us safe form the effects of harmful bacteria such as: e.coli, pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococus aureus, salmonella, enterobacter, and listeria.

Below are some of the things you can do to keep your kitchen clean:

Organize

Make sure everything has its own place; this can be achieved through routine. For example you can have the utensils that are not used often tucked away in the cabinet while those that are frequently used in the rack. The dust bin also needs to have it own strategic position as well as kitchen appliances and equipment. This will make it easy to clean the kitchen as well as maintaining the same.

Keep it dry

Most bacteria thrive in damp places. Try to keep your kitchen area as dry as possible. Do away with wet sponges, surfaces or even the utensils. Dry the utensils after washing using kitchen towels then wash the towels in temperatures greater than 60 degrees Celsius and dry them in high temperatures..

Avoid transferring germs

Whether you are using a kitchen towel or a sponge make sure you wash it after every wipe. If you use it on another surface without washing is, it means that you are only transferring germs. Always wash your hands every time you handle something different in the kitchen. A very good percentage of germs in the kitchen are transferred by hand.

Do not keep dirty utensils

In most cases after dinner, it is very tempting to leave the dirty utensils so that they can be washed the next day. After all you are very tired. Well, don’t. Bacteria just like us need food to survive and leaving dirty utensils only give them more than enough food to thrive. You also wouldn’t’ want to wake up to a septic smell in the kitchen emanating from fermented remnants.

Disinfect food areas

Any areas that come in contact with foods such as: meat, eggs, vegetables among others, should be cleaned before and after they come in contact with these foods. Do not postpone; do it immediately.

Keep your rubbish bin clean

How? For starters, make sure it has a lid. This will obscure the bad sight and also reduce any smell that may come from it. Wash and disinfect the dust bin at least once a week to prevent any bacterial growth. If possible, empty your rubbish bin daily.

Clean all surfaces

Always clean the kitchen surfaces and disinfect them at all time, especially those commonly touched by people. These include: handles, buttons, door knobs, and light switches in the kitchen and its surroundings.

De-clog sinks monthly

Kitchen effluents deposit on the sink piping daily and if not checked from time to time it will lead to a sink blockage. It is therefore advisable to de-clog the sink at least once a month.

Pest control

No matter how much we try to keep the kitchen pest free, from time to time there is a possibility of having pests such as roaches in the kitchen. It is therefore important to seek the help of pest-control agency at least once in every six months.

Pick it up

It could be edible powder, bits of food or gravy accidentally dropped in the kitchen. In such an occurrence you should pick it up immediately and take care of the mess. This will avoid getting stuck or eventual summon of flies, pests, roaches and even mosquitoes.

Kitchen attire

Hair ties, apron and gloves should be used when in the kitchen. They should be kept clean and disinfected at all times. Gloves can prevent any part on your hand that could be bruised from coming in contact with food while aprons can prevent your clothes from being stained.

Clean the food

Vegetables and fruits should be washed with a lot of water (preferably lukewarm) before they are stored or used. Put meat into the freezer immediately you get it to the house because it is highly perishable.

Sanitize storage areas

Remember to wash storage areas at least once in every two months. This is where you keep kitchen ware and groceries.

Clean dusters and mops

Sweep and mop the floor twice daily then after using floor dusters and mops wash them thoroughly and dry them.

Choosing the best domestic kitchen design is challenging to most people. It is vital to have basic kitchen ideas when planning to transform an existing kitchen or to create a new one. Before any plans commence, be certain whether you want to remodel your current kitchen or create one with a new design. When choosing a new design, base your ideas on your current kitchen. Ensure that the design meets all your needs that the current kitchen lacks. Here are some do’s and don’ts of domestic kitchen design.
1. Ensure that you have at least one thing that makes your kitchen look more appealing. Don’t be too conservative and boring with your specific design. Make sure that your kitchen makes a positive statement to your guests and family. You can consider bringing in some elements from your other rooms to make the kitchen livelier.
2. Make a point of hiding some of your kitchen equipment with cabinetry. Avoid having too many appliances made of stainless steel. It is necessary to have stainless steel but let your kitchen design not over use it. Additionally, avoid having too many appliances so as not to make your kitchen feel small. Too many appliances may interfere with the pattern and flow of the design.
3. When purchasing cabinets, ensure that they are well built. Make sure that the cabinet you choose can remain in use for a considerable span of time since you will be using them frequently. Get to know the kind of materials they are made from. Concentrate on strong hardware and hardwoods that match perfectly with your design. Don’t scant on craftsmanship.
4. Bear in mind that even a small kitchen can appease you. Don’t think that only a big kitchen can look better. It is possible not to over design a small kitchen because you will avoid cluttering it. With a small kitchen, you can come up with creative ways to store your appliances and as such you end up creating enough eating space.
5. If you want your kitchen to appease you, then ensure enough light can get inside. Light is essential especially if your kitchen has a small space. Therefore, take into consideration your sources of light. The more light the kitchen has the better. Let your design decision be guided by the amount of light you need. Since you can never create natural right, ensure that your design can bounce and enhance it. If your will need to bounce light back to your kitchen, consider installing shiny splashbacks and glossy cabinets. Avoid going for designs that will require you to use curtains in the kitchen. Instead of curtains, consider using roller blinds since they maximize light during the day.
6. Make a point of giving your kitchen enough space. You get a good design when you combine aesthetics and storage. Ensure there is ample space over work and cooking areas in order to let the kitchen breath. If possible, let cabinets make your kitchen walls. A spacious kitchen is livelier and comfortable. To create more space, consider using skylights in your kitchen. Skylights can be a solution to lighting and storage problems. With skylights, you will require fewer windows. As such, you are able to free up a lot of space in your walls which you can use for cupboards. Also, you can add under cupboards and ceiling high cupboards so as to create more space. This is important despite the size of your kitchen.
7. Be sensitive during color selection. Choose colors carefully depending on your kitchen size. If your kitchen is small, avoid using dark units and dark colors since they may turn out to be unpleasing. You can use dark colors if your kitchen is large since they are perfect for entertaining and evening dining. Consider using gloss cupboard doors since they can add prestige to the kitchen. If your kitchen ceiling is low, ensure the tall cabinets are of the same color so as to create a sense of height. Bright colors especially for wall cabinets and base units can give a sense of space. Also, consider adding a shiny floor space.
8. Make sure that you don’t skip any sort of technical homework. When planning, make a point of determining where you need the sink to be located, electrical sockets in case you are coming up with a new structure, and where you need doors and windows. These features can have an impact on the design you choose. Avoid rushing through the design and planning phase. Take time and make an analysis of how well the design suits you.
9. Ensure that there is enough space near your oven. This is important since you will not have to carry dishes across your kitchen when preparing a meal. Therefore, avoid having your prep areas away from your oven.

Designing a kitchen is one of the hardest job specially if there is a lot of action that is going to be taking place inside it. One of the most important prerequisites is to make sure that in addition to making the kitchen look fancy and sleek, it also is fully operational and everything works in harmony. There are many software’s that can help you achieve that and you can pay designers who are expert to help you in doing so.

Here’s a cool kitchen design software that you might want to check out in case you want to do the kitchen designing yourself